Gnu Privacy Guard, an open source crypto tool compatible with OpenPGP and laterally supporting dozens of different uses is trying to raise funds for a few months of some additional developers time. I use GPG daily, including signing and encrypting my mail, securing online chats, keeping my password store safe, and so much more. Please check it out and help if you can. If you want to know more ways to use GPG, find me on Freenode at #cmdln or keybase.Read More …

I have favored federated systems like Mastodon since day one. A huge barrier to adoption is the network effect, encouraging a high enough density of people you interact with to move to something like this, or any of the numerous predecessors over the years. I am uncertain that this will fair any better than App.net, mentioned in the article, or status.net or so many others no longer around.

This episode is an experiment. I recorded an extemporized monologue in my car during what is a fairly regular drive for my right now. I expressed my gratitude for, and inspiration from, Patrick McLean, in particular his return to The Seanachai, and Dave Slusher.

I talked about the new car I bought at the end of January, my reasons for buying it and my experience of genuinely feeling that I am driving a computer.

I have increasingly been reading, thinking and writing about the question of inclusion and diversity in the world of technology in general and within FLOSS more specifically. I am most in read and learn mode.

When I come across something worthwhile, though, I do like to share; especially examples of people and projects actively working to improve things. One that I not only came across recently but have the very good fortune to participate in for my day job, is the Outreach Program for Women being run by the Gnome Foundation.

Outreach Program for Women (OPW) internships were inspired in many ways by Google Summer of Code and by how few women applied for it in the past. This was reflective of a generally low number of women participating in the FOSS development. The GNOME Foundation first started the internships program with one round in 2006, and then resumed the effort in 2010 with 4 more rounds organized every half a year. In the previous round, the Software Freedom Conservancy joined the Outreach Program for Women with one internship with the Twisted project. This round, we’ve expanded the program to include several other FOSS organizations.

You cand find the full information on the program, including details on mentoring organizations and how to apply, here.

While, full disclosure, I am writing this post for the benefit of my employer and the work I do at the Open Technology Institute, this is an endorsement, and a request for help in spreading the word, that I can whole heartedly personally endorse as well. The Outreach Program for Women isn’t just a good idea but in the short span it has been run, it has yield some sustained, concrete successes in terms of interest and participation from women.

My sole regret is that I was unable to write and publish this post sooner. The deadline is Monday but since this is the final wekk before applications are due, mentors are able to work more closely with candidates in selecting and completing their first contributions to the participating projects.

What strikes me about the Humble Bundles so far is that not only do you get a fair deal, in terms of price and being treated like a grown adult by not crippling the various media on offer with DRM, but the content itself is generally well above average. In the case of the Humble Bundles, I think credit goes to the various editors and curators who have put the packages together. However, there may be some correlation between the choice to use this business model and incredibly talented and creative folks.

A listener of mine who has been working on this game emailed me right as the Humble eBook Bundle was climbing towards its staggering $1.2M peak. Right away, the similarities are clear. The Humble Indie Bundles that contain video games have all been cross platform, like Nikki, as well as sporting the pay what you want model and foregoing the burdens of DRM, also like Nikki.

The studio behind this game, Joyride Labs, has gone further. There is a full, playable version you can snag for free. And it is available under an open source license (some of the Humble Bundle games have been openl licensed as a condition of meeting sales targets.) The free version comes with a level editor and there are a good number of sample and contributed levels that demonstrate the various charms of the game. What you get if you set your price and buy the story episode is a narrative mode that completes the full on nostalgia this game brings for 8-bit platformers. While there is currently only one story episode so far, more are promised and buying the first episode nets you all the future ones at no additional cost.

So what about the game itself? The pixel art is an unmistakable and loving homage to Nikki’s earliest ancestors. Even the character design and overall look and feel are a whimsical throwback to games without hugely elaborate backstories, but tantalizing hints about why the characters throw themselves around their frenetic, brightly colored 2D worlds.

Don’t let the graphic design fool you. Gameplay is smooth, convincing and challenging in a way that belies the vintage look, revealing deep roots in realistic physics models and an ethos in puzzle design clearly meant to inspire the player to new heights, often literally, through near impossible challenges and the amazing sense of accomplishment that comes of just nearly squeaking through to toggle the last switch, to collect the last battery. The titular robots add a twist that was a later development for the platformer genre as a whole but one that when used well extends the playability and the enjoyment. It is deployed to excellent effect in Nikki, offering the player at various points throughout each level, the ability to take control of one or more robots, the different abilities of each adding a subtle and engaging variation on the game play that also more fully shows off the Chipmunk physics engine.

My sole complaint as a long time gamer who has most recently been taken with gaming on my phone and tablet is the lack of an Android port. That is really a minor drawback as the game is fun, beautiful and engaging enough on any of the OSes on which it does run to draw me back to my various Linux machines to tease out a little more of the well crafted story and enjoy the original and addictive soundtrack.

Of course, with a free to play option, you certainly don’t have to take my word for it alone. Go on, download it and let me know what you think; better yet let me know if you agree its worth kicking in to see what episode 2 may hold in store or what other wonderful projects Joyride Labs may yet undertake.

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"[T]houghtful, informative, and deep, a real plunge into the geeky end of the news-pool. There's great analysis and rumination, as well as detailed explanations of important security issues with common OSes and so on." -- Cory Doctorow